|
It is important that you feel safe and comfortable for any surgical procedure. A popular choice for treatment in our rooms is what is often referred to as conscious sedation also known as ‘twilight sleep’. A combination of sedative and pain relieving drugs which given intravenously (IV) can induce a ‘dream-like’ state of deep calming relaxation, a rousable sleep for the entire duration of the surgical procedure. Many of our patients describe themselves as having “dozed off” and cannot remember anything that occurred during their surgery- there is no memory whatsoever of injections in the mouth, drilling or pain! For some patients there may be “patchy” memory, but the experience is still rewarding with little feeling of discomfort or fear. Failure of a patient to adequately sedate with a safe quantity of drugs is uncommon but may occur in patients who drink excessive alcohol or use recreational drugs. For this reason it is important that you provide a complete and honest history of your health and habits so that we may provide you with safe and effective sedation. If in the unlikely event you happen to be a patient who does not sedate sufficiently for us to carry out the procedure safely and competently, then out of necessity the treatment is abandoned and you will be re- scheduled for treatment under general anaesthetic as a day surgery procedure in hospital. Whether you have difficulty keeping your mouth open, gag easily, have a fear of injections or simply prefer “not to know about it” then IV sedation may be your preferred treatment choice.
Your treatment under IV sedation is fully monitored including heart monitoring (ECG), breathing, blood oxygen levels (Oxygen saturation) and blood pressure. For this reason is important to wear loose clothing so that we may attach monitoring pads to your chest and attach a blood- pressure cuff to your upper arm (easy push up sleeves)
Following IV sedation you must not drive! For this reason you will need an escort to accompany you home in a car or taxi. It is also important that you have someone stay with you that day. It will also be necessary to fast for the procedure. Morning appointments usually require fasting from midnight the previous night. This means nothing to eat or drink including water though a small sip of water to take medication is permissible. If you do not function well without breakfast then please ask for an afternoon appointment and we will tell you when to fast from.
Intravenous (IV) sedation offers a valuable treatment option for many of our patients requiring surgical management, be it the placement of dental implants or any other oral surgical procedure; however some patients are not suitable. Age, medical status and weight are some of the factors that need to be taken into account. Medical problems like obstructive sleep apnoea, uncontrolled hypertension or angina, shortness of breath etc usually preclude IV sedation. For this reason an IV consultation is essential for every patient prior to their treatment visit so that we may provide the information you need to ensure your safety and comfort during your treatment. |
